Viewer for golf clubs



Jan. 21, 1964 w. E. ROHR 3,118,678

VIEWER FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed Oct. 4, 1960 INVENTOR. ZZZ 817261 E. F

BY 5t one, jVz'erzrzarz, fiarflzez'ster ezammer United States Patent 3,118,678 VlEWER FOR GOLF CLUBS Werner E. Rein, 5141 W. Deming Place, Chicago, Ill. Filed 0st. 4, 1964}, Ser. No. 69,349 1 Claim. (\Cl. 273l63) The present invention relates to golfing equipment, and more particularly to devices for improving the putting reliability of a golfer.

Approximately half of the strokes that most golfers take in playing a game of golf on a regulation course occur on the greens, and this fraction is even greater for shorter courses. Many golfers find putting to be the most frustrating part of the game of golf, partly because of the fact that great precision is required in stroking a golf ball and partly because of the fact that most golfers are unable to determine defects in their swing while putting.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a viewer for a golf club or putter or novel construction for aligning the ball with the hole into which the ball is to drop.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a putter with means for indicating faulty swings in stroking the golf ball and also to aid in correcting faulty swings.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a viewer for a golf putter which will aid a golfer in playing sloping greens.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a viewing attachment for a golf club for accomplishing the above object, and which may be readily removed and also readily stored in a conventional golf bag when afiixed to a golf club.

These and further objects of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a further reading of the present disclosure, particularly when viewed in the light of the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of a golf club and viewing or sighting attachment in position to stroke a golf ball;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FEGURE 1;

FTGURE 3 is a sectional view of the viewing attachment taken along the line 3-3 of FlGURE l;

FIGUAE 4 is an elevational view of a putter and viewing device constructed according to the present invention mounted in a conventional golf bag;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View of a modified viewer for a putter taken on a plane similar to that of PEG- URE 3;

FZGURE 6 is a sectional view illustrating alternate means for mounting the viewing attachment on the shaft of a golf club; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along a plane corresponding to that of FIUURES 3 and 5 of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a putter ll) having a shaft 12 and club head 14. A sighting or viewing attachment for the golf club 1% is illustrated in fixed position thereon and includes a sighting device 16, a means for clamping the sighting device to the shaft 12 of the golf club 1% comprising a bracket 23, and linking means extending from the bracket 18 to the sighting device 16 including a rod 29 mounted on the bracket 18 and an arm 22 extending from the rod to the sighting device 26. An offset shaft 24 extends between the rod 29 and the arm 22.

The bracket 18 has two mating parts 26 and 28, and the parts 26 and 28 are provided with a first pair of indentations 30 adapted to accommodate the shaft 12 ice of the putter 1t and a second pair of circular indentations 32 adapted to accommodate the rod 29. A locking screw 34 extends through the two parts 26 and 2d and ecurely clamps the bracket parts together and to the shaft 12 and rod Ztl.

The confronting indentations which accommodate the shaft 12 form a first channel which has a central axis coaxial with that of the shaft 12. The circular indentations 32 form a second channel in the bracket 18 with a central axis parallel to that of the first channel and spaced therefrom. The space between the two channels is utilized for mounting or hanging the putter with attachment in its carrying case or bag, as is shown in FIG- URE 4, the bag being designated 36. The bag 36 has a protective collar 38, and the thickness of the protective collar is less than the distnce between the two chmnels of the bracket 18. Since the rod 21! extends on both sides of the bracket 13, the portion of the rod remote from the club head is utilized to hold the putter in a fixed position for the protection of the sighting device 16 by positioning this portion of the rod 20 on the outside of the bag 36, the putter itself extending into the bag in the conventional manner. This use of the rod 2% to protect the sighting device may also be employed with the new type bag using a tubular partition for each club.

Because of the fact that the two channels of the bracket 13 are parallel, the rod 20 is also parallel to the shaft 12 of the putter, and since it is spaced from the shaft 12, the shaft 12 can be enlarged in the region adjacent to the club head As a result of this fact, the attachment here described may be attached to virtually any and all putters regardless of the peculiar shank construction. The offset arm 24 is pivotally locked on the end of the rod 25; by a set screw 4%, the end of the rod 20 and end of the offset arm 24 both being provided with abutting fiat surfaces 42 for this purpose. In like manner, the opposite end of the ofiset arm 24 is pivotally locked to the arm 22 by a set screw 46, the offset shaft 24 and the arm 22 also being provided with abutting fiat axial surfaces. The set screw 4 is provided with a recess ll shaped to accommodate a wrench, such as an Allen wrench. it is to be noted that the rod 2% is parallel to the shaft of the putter at all times, and the arm 22 can be made parallel to the surface of the ground and club face as a result of the construction of the rod 2%, offset arm 24 and arm The sighting device 16 has a housing 44 with a front wall 46 and a back wall 4-8. The housing is also provided with side walls 5d and a threaded shaft 5 which extends from the bottom 52 of the housing 44. The housing 44 also has a top wall 56 which is provided with an aperture '58 therein. The threaded shaft 54 extends through a pair of aligned bores 69 and 62 in a mounting member 64, and the mounting member 64 secures the housing 44 to the arm 22. The bores so and 62 are dis posed in two portions of the mounting member 6 formed by a slot 65 which extends therein from one side to a circular opening 68 which accommodates the arm 22. A locknut 7 threadedly engages the shaft '54 to wedge the arm 22 in the opening 63 and secure the sighting device to the arm 22, and the locknut 7% is provided with a recess 71 shaped to accommodate a wrench, such as an Allen wrench.

The sighting device 16 also has an opening 72 in the front wall of the housing 4 adjacent to the bottom 52 thereof, and a mirror 74 extends from the bottom front corner of the housing 44 at an angle of approximately degrees with respect to both the front wall 45 and the bottom 52. The mirror 74 is therefore at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the top 56 of the housing also. Therefore, by looking through the opening 58, the line of vision will be reflected through the =2 opening '72 and thus at approximately a right angle to the vertical. The mirror 7 may also be replaced by an equivalent device for reflecting light, such as a prism.

It is to be noted that the offset shaft is effective to position the sighting device 16 immediately behind the face of the club head 14, and also the mounting member as for the sighting device permits the sighting device to be translated relative to the club head to take up a position above and just behind the surface of the club head 14 which most desirably contacts the ball, namely the gravitational center of the club hea In l and 2, the ball is indicated by a reference numeral 75, and it is to be observed that the sighting device 16 permits simultaneous viewing of ball '76 and the flag, designated 78, whi h marks the hole.

The sighting evice 16 is also provided with two hal lines located in different planes. As illustrated in FIG 3, one hairline is disposed in the opening 72 while the second hairline 32 is disposed across the housing dd normal to the hairline 3G. The second hairline may also be disposed immediately adjacent to the mirror 74, as indie-ted at 34-, or may be a scratch positioned directly LPSH the mirror 74. An alternate position for the hairline is also illustrated as immediately across the opening 53 and designated Either of the hairlines 82 or 36 may be used in conjunction with the hairline or the hairline 84; or the hairline 84 may be used in conjunction vu'th any one of the other hairlines 8t 82 or 85. It is, however, necessary that the two hairlines be disposed in the same plane and at different angles with respect to each other, this angle being preferably 90 degrees and at least 45 degrees. The use of two angularly disposed hairlines establishes a plane of reference for the sighting device to. In use, this plane of reference is aligned with the flag 78, and is also preferably normal to the surface of the earth for the purpose of orienting the golfer. For this reason, a transparent level tube 122 is mounted on the wall 43 normal to the plane of the cross hairs by brackets 128. A viscous liquid 124 is disposed in the tube and provided with a bubble which is aligned with the lines 226 on the tube. The viscosity of the liquid 124 is selected to give steady state readings only and avoid transients. Vhen this is true, the face of the club head 14 is normal to the path die ball is to follow, since the plane of the crosshairs has been made normal to the face of the club head 1d, except when intentionally made at an angle for playing slopes as will be described hereinafter.

The housing 44 is also provided with a pointer 83 which is secured to the bottom 52 of the housing 44 and extends from the rear wall 48 of t e housing. A scale 9% is secured to the mountin member 6:; and provided with angular indications or markings 92. nce the rod has been locked parallel to the face of the club head 14, the pointer may be relied upon to establish the angle of the plane of the crosshairs relative to the face of the club head 1- If one is playing a sloping green, it is desirable for purposes of repetitive performance to position the pointer 88 at a marking of the scale as to provide an angle between the plane of the crosshairs and the normal to the club head. The plane of the crosshairs may then be aligned with e and the ball will then assume an angular direction relative to the flag which is selected to be uphill from the hole or cup. in this manner, increased reliability may be obtained in putting rolling greens.

It is to be noted that in the construction of PEGURE 3, the walls 46, 43 and 5 extend upwardly from the mirror s and therefore provide a sun shield to prevent distracting reflections. in this embodiment, the mirror 74 also is a fiat surface. With this construction, the golf ball and club may be accurately aligned with the hole in a stationary position. However, as the club is withdrawn from the ball, the mirror will no longer permit alignment with the flag, and in extreme cases, the sun shade formed by the walls of t housing will I. Lie

ermit continuous viewing. In the embodiment of FIGURE 5, a generally concave mirror 94- is illustrated disposed Within a housing 44A. The housing ddA differs from the housing 44 disclosed in PlG-URES 1 through 3 in that the front wall 45A terminates slightly above the upper edge of the mirror 9 as do the other walls fltlA and 43A of the housing 44A. The mirror 9% is illustrated'as having a curved contour formed by three fiat sections 5 A, 94B, and 94C, although it is to be understood that a single concave surface may be employed.

When using the sighting device illustrated in FlGURE 5, it is possible to continuously view the flag throughout the back stroke and the forward stroke of the putting motion. When lining up the ball and the flag, the central portion 943 of the mirror 9% is employed, and on the back stroke the lower portion 94C of the mirror is employed. se, on the fore stroke the player will suc- Line: essively View the flag through the lower portion 94C, the central portion 943 and the upper portion l-tA of the mirror 9d. By viewing the flag in combination with the crosshairs 34, it is possible to determine the deviations which the golfer makes from the plane in which the and ball lie and thereby discover the errors in his swine FIGURE 7 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in which a convex mirror 96 of continuous slope is employed in combination with crosshairs 8d and 8-2. in this construction, the golfer can also continuously observe the and the fact that his swing deviates from the plane of the ball and the flag by viewing the mirror During the back swing, the upper portions of the mirror will be viewed, while during the fore swing the lower portions thereof will be viewed. in addition, the front wall 41GB of the housing 44- 8 extends well above the crosshair 82 and the mirror and the side walls 5B slope downwardly diagonally. As a result of this constru on, the rear wall 438 has approximately the same height as the mirror and as illustrated in FIGURE 5. Therefore, the walls 463 and 5433 provide a sun shade While the wall 4&3 does not restrict vision during the back stroke portion of the putting cycle. The mirror )5 also need not define a continuous curve, but may be made up of a plurality of flat sections as shown in PEGURE 5.

FIGURE 6 illustrates an alternate construction for the bracket 18 mounting the sighting device to the shaft 12 of the putter, this bracket being designated 13A. The bracket l8A is formed of two mating parts 8 and 1% which are provided with semicylindrical indentations 1% which mate and acconnmodate the shaft 12 in a gripping engagement. A plurality of screws, designated lite, extend through the part 1th; into the part 98 to secure the bracket 18A to the shaft 1-2. Part d8 also has a keyway, designated 1&5, which accommodates a key 1% mounted on an integral with the rod 2%. An extending shaft llil which is integral with the rod 29 extends from the key 1% to the rod 2t A locking screw 112 secures the key res within the keyway 1%.

The parts 93 and 16% are permanently mounted on the shaft 12, and since these parts protrude only slightly from the shaft 12, the putter may be used without any inconvenience in its conventional manner. However, if it is desired to use the sighting device, the key 1&8 is merely inserted in the keyway 1%, and the lock screw 112 tightened. Because of the keyed construction of the mounting, the sighting device is always properly aligned when reinserted or remounted on the bracket ELSA. The extension shaft 11d assures the proper spacing between the shaft 12, and rod to provide the various features so forth for the embodiment of FEGURES l tlu'ough 3.

Those skilled in the art will readily devise many embodiments and constructions within'the inven ive scope of the golf club and attachment set forth hereinbefore. it is therefore intended that the scope of the present invention be not limited to foregoing disclosure, but rat only by the appended claim.

the

nor

The invention claimed is:

A sighting device for attachment to a golf club comprising a viewer having a mirror with a surface and an optical path therethrough with rays on opposite sides of the surface at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to each other, means for attacln'ng the viewer to the shaft Of the golf club and positioning the viewer behind the face of the club with one of the rays of the optical path normal to the face of the club and the other at an acute angle to the shaft to assume a vertical direction in use including a bracket having two spaced approximately parallel channels therethrough, one of said channels being adapted to engage the shaft of the club, a rod disposed in the other channel and extending from both sides of the bracket, and an arm mounted on the end of the rod ad- 1 jacent to the club head and disposed normal to the plane of the rays of the optical path, the viewer 'being mounted to the arm, a clamp mounted on the viewer and having an opening therein for slidably engaging the arm, means for compressing the clamp on the arm, said viewer having a bolt extending therefrom on an axis approximately paralle l to the vertical ray of the viewer, said clamp having an aperture therethrough accommodating the bolt, whereby the viewer may be pivoted relative to the club face, a scale mounted on the clamp and a pointer mounted on the viewer and confronting the scale.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 1,556,862 Baugh Oct. 6, 1925 2,670,209 Fay Feb. 23, 1954 2,822,614 Susinno Feb. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 223,044 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1924 

